February 16, 2024
Water reform backtrack embedding privilege
Former Te Rarawa chair Haami Piripi says the Three Waters reform is a wasted opportunity for Māori and all New Zealanders.
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has promised to repeal existing legislation by February 23, and over the next year he will put up two Bills setting out alternative ways to fund and manage water infrastructure.
Mr Piripi says putting the future of Aotearoa’s water supplies back in the hands of local councils and excluding Maori from any co-governance role takes the country in the wrong direction.
“We need to take a collaborative approach that’s not based on historic chance, which really has resulted in privilege for a few who have got water rights that others don’t have. And there’s a whole jigsaw puzzle of the water rights in this country. So we’re gonna go back to that,” he says.
Mr Piripi expects councils which have been compensated for the establishment of regional water entities may be asked to pay that money back.